The Story Behind Waka Essence

What started as a passion for authentic Ugandan vanilla and cacao became a mission to bring exceptional ingredients to kitchens, bakeries, cafés, and businesses across Lebanon and beyond.

Hiba Attar is a Lebanese dietitian who moved to Fort Portal, Uganda and found something she never expected. Living in the heart of one of Africa's most fertile growing regions, she met the farmers. She held real vanilla pods for the first time. She discovered ingredients her own country had never truly known. 

Back in Lebanon, none of this existed. What filled the shelves was artificial, diluted, or simply fake. Hiba knew it. Her training as a dietitian told her. And her time in Uganda showed her what was possible.

What Does Waka Essence Means?

''Waka'' is an African word meaning ''journey'' or ''path''.

''Essence'' stands for the soul, flavor, and origin of what we bring to you.

Become a Partner!

Together, Waka Essence means: The Soul Of The Journey.

Stop buying fake. Start tasting real.

Waka Essence was built on that gap. Today, from the volcanic soils of the Rwenzori Mountains, we source and supply premium vanilla and single-origin cocoa to professional kitchens, distributors, and homes across Lebanon, Brazil, the Gulf, and Europe.

This is only the beginning. Vanilla and cocoa are where we started but the African continent holds an extraordinary range of rare, natural ingredients. Our vision is to bring the best of them to the world, one source at a time.

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